Hitler reborn

[naomi24]

A hypothetical question. Bearing in mind all the opposition to our recent and current military involvement around the world, if another Hitler were to surface, should we wage war on him as we did in 1939 – or should we mind our own business and keep out?

[jomifl]

Venator, several European countries have had hitler like leaders in relatively recent time. Napoleon did dreadful things resulting in millions dying in various ways yet he's still venerated by the French who look upon the period of his rule as France's 'glory'. Mussolini, Franco and Salazar were 'little' hitlers in the west and Stalin and Honecker in Eastern Europe were not much better.

[jake-the-peg]

The resentment is with regrds to foreign wars

Hitler was a direct threat to Britain

The comparison is clearly flawed

I think WWI might be a better comparison however you may not g h answer there I think you might be hopeing for.

I suspect a lot of people might think we should not have got involved in that

[emmie]

many in Russia still venerate Stalin, why, the same for Chairman Mao in China, seems that you cannot always guarantee the persons memory of events. Stalin like Mao killed millions of their own people, as do the batch currently doing the rounds, Assad, Ahjaminadad, Mugabe, but the world often turns a blind eye, like the truly ghastly conflict in Rwanda.

[cassa333]

The examples of regimes that have killed (millions) of their own people is a little flawed as far as I can see


The difference between them and another hitler type figure is that Hitler invaded other countries and began exterminating sections of society because he could.


Most of the examples given killed their own people (don't get too fixated on different tribes within those states at this stage) or those imediately next to them without interference to other nations.

It is when they start to impact other countries that 'other' nations, counrties or continents will start to become involved.

Anyway that is what NATO is supposed to befor??!!!

[naomi24]

Jake, I’m not hoping for any particular answer. I used Hitler as an example for obvious reasons, but the question I’m asking is what do people think would be worth fighting for?

[emmie]

Britain and the commonwealth would be worth fighting for. Sadly i think i am in the minority. I asked the question before on another site, would you fight for Britain in the event of another war, and there was a decided no.

[jake-the-peg]

OK it's just people smetimes Invoke Hitler when they want an extreme case and are therefore looking or a particular response ie opposing the position - Nobody wants to be on Hitler's side.

Personally I think it's not that complicated.

There is growing impatience with our military involvement in "foreign wars"

Personally I'd like to see us follow "armed neutrality" - that our armed forces should be to defend the UK and possibly British territories (but I'm not convinced about that)

We spend far too much money and too many lives fighting foreign wars which is euphemistically referred to as "defending British interests"

[emmie]

JTP, would you fight for Britain in the event of WW3.

[jake-the-peg]

If it's a WW3 then by definition the UK is threatened in which case I refer you to my answer above

[emmie]

you didn't answer, our soldiers would be called on to fight, would you join if Britain was under threat from invasion.

[jake-the-peg]

I thought that was obvious from when I said

//that our armed forces should be to defend the UK //

Or were you trying to make some silly point about me personally? I think I'm too old now but yes

I have a lot of respect for people who joined to fight to defend the UK

I have little for those who join up looking for adventure thousands of miles from home

[emmie]

that is why i said would you fight. No matter how old one is, just like the last time, every person would have a part to play, be it on the front line, or in the munitions, arms factories. I don't expect there would be a WW3, seeing how the cost would outweigh such a venture, more like a nuclear device, but you just never know. The powers that be didn't think there would be another war after WW1, the war to end all wars, so the saying goes, yet 20 years after the first great war, we were at it again.

[cassa333]

Also I think that in the west at least, the takeover of another country will be done not by war but by using economics.

Just look a Greece!! The EU machine has effectivly taken over that country without a bullet being fired.

Ethnic cleansing would happen when more countries have been assimilated and the overall doctrine been adopted throughout.

[emmie]

cassa, hope you are wrong there. After all we fought wars, lost millions to avoid the scenario depicted, the takeover by a dictatorship.
Greece may well fall out of the picture, but i don't think, or hope that
Germany will be in the ascendency once again, by dint of it's economic power base. The Euro seems a folly foisted on people without the clearest idea of how it would truly work.

[chakka35]

jake is right. The purpose of our armed forces is to defend the UK and UK citizens wherever they are in the world. It is not their job to topple dictators or get involved in other people's wars.

We went into Europe to put down Napoleon and Hitler who were threatening our country and 8000 miles into the South Atlantic to rescue 1500 British people from the clutches of a mad dictator. In Iraq, when we discovered that Sadaam was not threatening UK our forces should have been brought home at once, not embroiled in regime change and all the rest.

The awful irony of WWII is that we went to war to save Poland from a murderous dictator called Hitler, then, at the end of the war, happily handed Poland over to another murderous dictator called Stalin.

We should stick to defending our country and our people.

[RATTER15]

I would certainly fight for my country, im just too old now :((

[joko]

i think by and large germans are thorougly ashamed of what their ancestors did and went along with only 80 years ago... and i think most other nationalities are utterly horrified that people could be so easily brainwashed, so that if some loony came along spouting off similar stuff to hitler majority of people would steer well clear ... we know too much now... back then people were generally less educated and more inclined to follow a leader.... these days people are less likely to blindly follow orders if they are abhorrent

[TWR]

I think Britain would raise the WHITE FLAG Immediately Naomi, what Armed forces have we got left?

[Duncer]

Jake, I tend to agree with you, but on point in particular......

OK it's just people smetimes Invoke Hitler when they want an extreme case and are therefore looking or a particular response ie opposing the position - Nobody wants to be on Hitler's side.

Personally I think it's not that complicated.

There is growing impatience with our military involvement in "foreign wars"

Personally I'd like to see us follow "armed neutrality" - that our armed forces should be to defend the UK and possibly British territories (but I'm not convinced about that)

We spend far too much money and TOO MANY LIVES fighting foreign wars which is euphemistically referred to as "defending British interests"